By Beth David, Editor
About 30 people showed up to the community room at Fairhaven’s Oxford Terrace on Tuesday, 7/31, to hear about senior discounts and bulk discounts from Comcast.
Most of those who spoke complained about the high price of cable and the “pittance” of $2 as a discount to seniors. The discount is only for low income seniors.
The town just signed a new 10-year contract with Comcast. A significant change in the new contract is that it is non-exclusive, so other companies can, theoretically at least, come into Fairhaven and provide some competition. Other changes include an increase to 5% (from 3%) of gross revenue that Comcast will give to the town to operate the Public Access, Educational, and Government TV stations (PEG); and $70,000 for infrastructure improvements.
Fairhaven Selectboard member Bob Espindola explained to the crowd that the town could not negotiate prices, but was able to make the discount a flat rate, not a percentage. He said the $2 figure amounts to more than 10% of the basic cable package offered to low income households. That package is $9.95.
Robert Sullivan from Comcast addresses a group of Fairhaven residents about the $2 discount offered to low-income senior citizens, at a meeting on Tuesday, 7/31, in the Oxford Terrace Community Room. Photo by Beth David.
“You can’t shoot the messenger,” said Robert Sullivan, Sr. Manager Government & Regulatory Affairs at Comcast Cable, who negotiated the contract with the town.
He was there to tell people about the program, who qualifies (there are income requirements), and how to apply, not to discuss the rate. But the people in the room had other ideas.
One glitch was that the people at Comcast did not know the program was available for Fairhaven seniors. Mr. Sullivan said he would make sure the company knew that the contract had been signed and that it was available.
Cathy Delano asked what other towns were getting for discounts, but Mr. Sullivan said he did not have that information, and would get it to the Selectboard office.
Mr. Espindola also told the group that the Selectboard would issue a Request for Proposals to get competition into town. He cautioned, however, that the industry was changing, and noted that other towns that tried to get competition for cable TV operations did not get any proposals at all.
One man, who said he pays $250 a month for cable and internet, said the $2 was a “pittance.” He said he realized it was his choice to get a more-than-basic package, but, “It’s a pittance. You’re not doing me any favors.”
He also said it was difficult to talk to customer service people at Comcast because most of them have accents difficult to understand. Many seniors have the same problem.
He said the discount should be a percentage of the bill, not two dollars.
Mr. Sullivan noted that he drove more than an hour to be there to explain the program, and, “I hope it’s helpful,” he said.
“I know a lot of people are angry,” said Mr. Sullivan. “But that’s not on me.”
He said the amount of the discount and the cost of cable were corporate decisions.
Fairhaven Selectboard member Bob Espindola makes a point at the meeting with Comcast representatives on Tuesday, 7/31/18 in the Oxford Terrace Community Room. Photo by Beth David.
Susan Spooner then took the corporation to task, reciting a list of facts, such as profits increasing 25% in one quarter, free cash jumping from $2.4 billion to $4.3 billion; and, she noted, the CEO makes more than $27 million a year.
“I know it’s not your purview, but this whole conversation is an obscenity,” said Ms. Spooner.
“These bills are unconscionable, and for no good reason other than basic corporate greed. It’s an insult to the intelligence of these people.”
Mr. Espindola acknowledged that the $2 was small, but also reiterated that it was more than 10% off the basic cable for low income seniors. He said people should be vocal with the corporate office to try to get prices down.
Karen Vilandry insisted that all contracts can be negotiated and said the monopoly had to change. Most bills are around $200 she said, so $2 is not much of a savings.
“We did what we could, that’s all we could do,” said Mr. Espindola.
He introduced Mike Pascarelli, XFINITY Communities Manager for Comcast Cable, to talk about bulk contracts, which would, presumably, end up with better savings than $2.
Cathy Delano asks a question at the meeting with Comcast on Tuesday, 7/31, in the Oxford Terrace Community Room. Photo by Beth David.
Bulk rates are available to senior housing complexes, condo associations, assisted living facilities, long term care facilities, etc. The contracts are negotiated separately on a case-by-case basis, and require a minimum of 25 units.
Mr. Pascarelli admitted, however, that the bulk rate might not save money for everyone in a building. The programs can be somewhat flexible, and allow people to add channels, but the whole building has to opt in, which elicited audible groans from the group.
Fairhaven Housing Director Krisanne Sheedy made sure he clarified that all 107 units at Oxford Terrace would have to be part of the package to qualify.
Mr. Pascarelli said the terms are usually three to five years, and smaller landlords can band together to negotiate rates.
To read the new contract with Comcast and the side letter regarding senior discounts, visit https://www. fairhaven-ma.gov/cable-advisory-committee look under “News & Announcements.”
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